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About This Character

Summary

Biography

M. Bison is a character from the Street Fighter videogame series.

It’s a funny name for a third-world dictator, but Bison doesn’t let it hold him back in his lifelong quest…well, to be a bad guy, more or less. The leader of the mysterious Shadaloo organization will stop at nothing to increase his power, whether it be political, military, or personal, in the form of his dangerous “Psycho Power” skills.

Also Known As: Vega

First Appearance: Street Fighter II, Arcade, 1991

M. Bison is a character from the Street Fighter videogame series.

It’s a funny name for a third-world dictator (more on that subject later), but Bison doesn’t let it hold him back in his lifelong quest…well, to be a bad guy, more or less. The leader of the mysterious Shadaloo organization will stop at nothing to increase his power, whether it be political, military, or personal, in the form of his dangerous “Psycho Power” skills.

In the retroactive backstory of the Street Fighter Alpha games, Bison sought to increase his power to superhuman levels through a series of increasingly more bizarre super-villainous gadgets. In these aims he was regularly thwarted – in particular, by Guile’s old partner Charlie, who lost his life in the attempt.

By the time of Street Fighter II, when Bison organized the second World Warrior tournament, his goal had boiled down to mere revenge. At this point, his powers were greatly depleted, but his “Psycho Crusher” charge attack and other abilities still packed a dangerous punch.

In the original Japanese version of Street Fighter II, and in all his Japanese appearances since, Bison was named Vega. The character called Vega in America was Balrog, and the boxer known to Americans as Balrog was M. Bison (an obvious rib on heavyweight champion Mike Tyson). Capcom, fearing that the joke might lead to trouble in American courts, shuffled the three bosses’ names around accordingly.